PhD Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, University of York (2020- 2024)
Title: Investigating the cognitive mechanisms by which sleep supports emotion regulation and mental health.
My research combined virtual reality, psychophysiology, EEG, and behavioural methods to gain new insights into the cognitive mechanisms through which sleep supports emotion regulation and mental health.
MSc Psychological Research, University of Oxford (Pass) (2017-2018)
BSc Hons Psychology, University of York (First Class) (2013-2016)
Henderson, L. M. & Sullivan, E. C. (2025). Commentary: Safeguarding youth in the smartphone era: rethinking evidence for action – a commentary on Lai et al. Child and Adolescent Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.70018
Sullivan, E.C., Dubicka, B., Kirsop, H., & Henderson, L. M. (2025). The Longitudinal Effects of Social Media on Sleep Among Youth: A Scoping Review. Preprint link.
Sullivan, E. C., McCall, C. Henderson, L. M., & Cairney, S. A. (2025). Disentangling Sleep’s Role in Emotion Processing. (Under review) Preprint link.
Sullivan, E. C., Boldprint Studios., Crowley. R., Kirsop. H., Redfern. E., Levermore. N., Wade. A. R., Cairney, S. A., James, E., Chatterjee, R., & Henderson, L. M. (2025). Swiped: A feasibility smartphone ban study measuring sleep, wellbeing and cognition in young adolescents. (Under review) Preprint link.
Sullivan, E. C., McCall, C., Brose, A., Henderson, L. M., & Cairney, S. A. (2024). Emotional inertia is independently associated with cognitive emotion regulation strategies and sleep quality. Cognition and Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2024.2443562.
Sullivan, E. C., James, E., Henderson, L. M., McCall, C., & Cairney, S. A. (2023). The Influence of Emotion Regulation Strategies and Sleep Quality on Depression and Anxiety. Cortex. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.001.
Sullivan E., Halstead, E. J., Ellis, J. G., & Dimitriou, D. (2021). Anxiety, Insomnia and Napping Predict Poorer Sleep Quality in an Autistic Adult Population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18), 9883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189883.
Halstead, E. J., Sullivan E., & Dimitriou, D. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Sleep in Autistic Adults: Longitudinal Comparisons pre and During Lockdown. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. 1608. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.708339.
Halstead, E. J., Sullivan E., Zambelli, Z., Ellis, J. G., & Dimitriou, D. (2021). The Treatment of Sleep Problems in Autistic Adults in the United Kingdom. Autism, 13623613211007226.
https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211007226.
Halstead, E. J., Joyce, A., Sullivan, E., Tywyn, C., Davies, K., Jones, A., & Dimitriou, D. (2021). Sleep disturbances and patterns in children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Frontiers in Paediatrics, 9, 91. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.637770.
Blakey, E., Matthews, D., Cragg, L., Buck, J., Cameron, D., Higgins, B., Pepper, L., Ridley, E., Sullivan, E., & Carroll, D. J. (2020). The role of executive functions in socioeconomic attainment gaps: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Child development, 91(5), 1594-1614. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13358.
Postdoctoral Research Associate: University of York, Department of Psychology (September 2023- ongoing)
During this position, I am working on a range of research projects including:
Continuing work undertaken during my PhD (e.g. examining the association between sleep parameters and emotional inertia using objective measures) and writing up findings from my PhD work for publication
Working with a co-production panel of young adults (aged 18-24 year) to help design and disseminate findings from the study on sleep parameters and emotional inertia
Conducting research as part of a popular TV channel documentary on the impact of “going phoneless” on sleep, mental health and cognitive functioning in young adolescents (aged 12 years)
Conducting further studies on the impact of smartphone bans on sleep, mental health, and cognitive functioning in adolescents (up to age 19)
Leading a scoping review on longitudinal associations between social media use and sleep in children and adolescents
Using secondary data (ALSPAC dataset) to examine whether executive functions mediate the relationship between early sleep and mental health outcomes
Research Assistant: York St John University, School of Education, Language & Psychology (March 2023- September 2023)
Worked on a study investigating the relationship between sleep parameters and the integration of new knowledge in semantic memory. My role involved:
Analysed overnight EEG data for sleep spindle and spectral power analysis
Research Assistant: University College London, Institute of Education Department of Psychology and Human Development (September 2019- February 2022)
Worked on the Sleep Focus Autistic project within the Sleep Education and Research lab (SERL). My role involved:
Design and dissemination of an online survey to gather information about autistic adults’ sleep and how it relates to health
Scoring, analysing and writing up findings from the online survey
Collecting and analysing sleep diary and salivary cortisol from a seven-night period
Assisting with the design, implementation and analysis of online focus groups designed to gather personal accounts of sleep in this autistic population
Subject recruitment and retention via social media
Coordinating the clinical trials arm of the project including screening participants for the autism specific sleep intervention
Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I; February 2020)
Therapeutic Services Administrator: Treat my Sleep (June 2020-September 2020)
Worked as a Therapeutic Services Administrator for Treat my Sleep, a UK service for the treatment and support of individuals, families and organisations experiencing sleep issues. My role involved:
Designing a sleep diary in both paper and online format to be used by patients
Inputting standardised questionnaires on the website to be completed by patients
Designing forms to aid patient flow during treatment (for example, designing an end of therapy form)
Managing social media platforms and posting regular content (Facebook and Instagram)
Lecturer: University of York (March- May 2024)
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Anxiety and Trauma; 3rd year BSc and 4th year MSCi, 10 hours
Academic Assignment Tutor: University of York (June- July 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Worked with the University Access and Outreach team to provide one-to-one assignment support and feedback to students as they transition from A Level/BTEC to studying in Higher Education
Graduate Teaching Assistant: University of York, Department of Psychology (October 2020- Present)
Delivery of tutorials to 10-15 students enrolled on the BSc (Hons) in Psychology
Marking of student essays and practical reports enrolled on the BSc (Hons) in Psychology
Supervision of mini projects including an MSci (Hons) Psychology final year project (Using Virtual Reality to Understand the Anxiety Impact of Sleep Deprivation)
ECR Pilot Project Grant (£12,450). Awarded by the Circadian Mental Health Network. Titled Project: “Tired Minds, Stubborn Emotions: The Influence Of Sleep Parameters On Emotional Inertia”
ECR Pilot Project Grant (£14,512). Awarded by the Huo Family Foundation. Titled Project: “Beyond the Screen: Unraveling the Impacts of Smartphone Use on Social, Emotional and Cognitive Functioning and Sleep in Adolescents”
Travel Grant (£600) to attend the European Sleep Research Society (ESRC) Conference in Seville, Spain. Awarded by Guarantors of Brain. 2024
Postgraduate Bursary Award (£100). Awarded by the British Psychological Society. 2023
Grindley Grant for EPS conference attendance (£341). Awarded by the Experimental Psychology Society. 2023
Travel Grant ($300). Awarded by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment for the 5th Oxford | Berlin Summer School on Open and Responsible Research in the Life Sciences. 2022
York Learning and Teaching Award (YLTA). Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). Awarded by the University of York. 2022
Mental Elf Blog Post "Smartphone bans in schools are not associated with better mental wellbeing or reduced screen-time out of school". (2025)
Channel 4 documentary: “Swiped the School that Went Phoneless” and University of York Press Release on the documentary (2024)
Mental Elf Blog Post “Is a sleep intervention delivered by non-expert practitioners feasible for youth mental health?”. (2024)
Scientist. I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here. (2021-2024)
Celebrating Spaces University of York flash talk “Sleep and mental health: regulating emotions in a virtual world” delivered to 100 academics (Presentation) (2024)
Pint of Science talk: “Sleep and mental health: regulating emotions in a virtual world” delivered to 30 members of the general public (2024)
University of York Press Release: “High-quality sleep promotes resilience to depression and anxiety”. (2023)
Academic Workshop Lead for York Experience Summer School, University of York “Sleep: what is it good for?” delivered to 30 Year 12 students (2022, 2023)
York Festival of Ideas talk “How sleep influences our emotions” delivered to 30 members of the general public (2022)
European Sleep Research Society Conference (September 2024) (Oral presentation: https://osf.io/uyb3s, Poster: https://osf.io/jf8p4)
British Association of Psychopharmacology Summer Meeting (July 2024) (Oral presentation: https://osf.io/54uyb)
British Psychology Society Cognitive and Developmental Section Conference (September 2023). (Oral presentation: https://osf.io/vzhdg).
British Association of Psychopharmacology Summer Meeting (July 2023). (Posters: https://osf.io/5ya9d, https://osf.io/v9j3t).
Experimental Psychology Society Conference (January, July, 2023). (Oral presentations: https://osf.io/g3uxb, https://osf.io/dw6ue).
British Association of Cognitive Neuroscience Conference (Poster, May 2022). (Poster: https://osf.io/5bef3).
Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group, British Psychological Society Conference (Oral Presentation, July 2022). (Oral presentation: https://osf.io/axsju).
The 5th Oxford | Berlin Summer School on Open and Responsible Research (Attendee, September 2022).
Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group, British Psychological Society Conference (Attendee, July 2021).